According to the statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006, 26 percent of all deaths were due to heart disease. Patients who have mild to moderate heart disease can be treated with medications, surgery and medical devices. According to The American College of Cardiology Scale, patients with end-stage heart disease are patients who are still having symptoms even with medications, surgery and/or medical devices.
Heart Transplant
Heart transplants are only an option for those whose heart disease hasn't improved with medications or other medical devices. According to the MayoClinic.com, heart transplants can significantly improve the patient's quality of life and increase a patient's survival rate. However, it takes time to be matched with a donor heart, so the patient may need a left ventricle assist device, or LVAD, until a heart is found. An LVAD is implanted into the patient's abdomen or chest and helps the heart pump blood. Heart transplants are seen as the last option; however, after careful evaluation of his medical condition, a patient may be told that he is ineligible for a transplant. When this occurs, the patient can enroll in hospice care.
Hospice
When treatment is no longer working for the patient, the doctor often times suggests that the patient enter hospice care. Hospice care is special end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. According to MayoClinic.com, hospice care allows the patient's family and friends to help care for the patient in his own home, at a hospice residence center, or at a nursing home. If the patient remains in the hospital, the hospital will provide its own type of hospice service. The hospice team consists of nurses, social workers and volunteers to provide spiritual, social and emotional support for the patient and the family.
Prevention
According to MayoClinic.com, people who are at risk for developing heart disease include those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irregular heartbeats, those who have had a heart attack and those who were born with heart defects. Except for those who were born with heart problems, heart disease can be prevented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people eat a healthy diet, participate in regular exercise, don't smoke or quit smoking and maintain a healthy weight. People with other medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol should see their doctors often, take their medications and monitor their conditions. Taking the steps to prevent heart disease is much easier and less costly than treating heart disease.
